Welcome to a new academic year at Yale! As we dive into classes, research, and campus life, it’s important to also refresh our cybersecurity practices. Cybercriminals often see this busy time as an opportunity to strike. The good news? By adopting some simple habits, we can all help keep Yale’s data and systems safe.
Your Role in Keeping Yale Safe
Remember, Yale’s systems can’t do all the heavy lifting alone. You’re our eyes and ears for spotting suspicious activity. Plus, small actions—like applying updates and being cautious of phishing emails—can go a long way in building strong cyber habits that protect us all.
This month’s tip highlights five essential cybersecurity practices to kick off the semester on the right (cyber-safe) foot!
1. Know Your Risk
At Yale, each of us plays a role in protecting sensitive information – whether it’s student records, research data, or institutional files. Understanding your responsibility and the risks involved helps prevent unauthorized access to Yale’s data. Think of it this way: if someone gets unauthorized access to your data, it can impact not just you but the entire Yale community.
Call to Action: Take a moment to consider how your actions – whether online or offline – can impact Yale’s cybersecurity. When handling Yale’s data, be sure to only use secure services. Visit our Know Your Risk webpage for additional tips.
2. Click with Caution
Phishing emails and suspicious links are everywhere, especially during the hustle and bustle of a new semester. Trust your gut – if something feels off or unexpected, don’t click. Scammers rely on you reacting quickly, but a pause can save you and Yale a lot of headaches.
Call to Action: Review our Click with Caution webpage to learn about our Recognize, Relax, Rethink model. It can help you pause and determine the best course of action when you receive an unexpected email.
3. Protect Your Identity
Your digital identity is the gateway to everything you do online. Creating strong passwords, enabling multifactor authentication (MFA), and using secure logins are essential to keeping your accounts safe from hackers. Think of MFA as locking your door with two bolts instead of one.
Call to Action: Update any weak or reused passwords to keep your digital identity locked down. Ensure you are using MFA for all your personal accounts for added security. Review all our tips on our Protect Your Identity webpage.
4. Apply Updates
One of the easiest ways to stay ahead of cybercriminals is by keeping your devices and applications up to date. System and software updates aren’t just about getting the latest features; they fix security vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.
Call to Action: Turn on automatic updates for your devices to boost security. And don’t forget to enable automatic updates on your home devices too. Review our Apply Updates webpage for details.
5. Report an Incident
If you see something suspicious, be safe not sorry, don’t ignore it! Whether it's a strange email or unexpected behavior on your device, report it to the Information Security Office right away. Quick action can prevent a small issue from becoming a big one.
Call to Action: Use our Report an Incident page to familiarize yourself with how to report incidents – from suspicious emails to lost or stolen devices.
Thank you for your proactive role in keeping Yale’s data and systems safe this semester. By adopting these five cybersecurity essentials, you can make a real difference!
Here’s to a successful - and cyber safe - academic year!
Want to keep building your cyber muscles?
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this year at Yale, the focus is training. We’re introducing a self-paced cybersecurity awareness training curriculum.
Each week we’re also offering fun activities and chances to win exclusive swag. If you complete the training, you’ll also gain access to a special invitation-only trivia game for a chance to win an extra special prize!
Sign up for alerts to make sure you don’t miss out.
